By: Erlinda Mejia-Olson
PSALM 131:1-2 ~ “Lord, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me. Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me.”
It has been said: “We are a professional. We draw our faith. We design our destiny. We calculate our decisions. We program our future. We are the engineer of our life.”
PSALM 131:1-2 ~ “Lord, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me. Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me.”
It has been said: “We are a professional. We draw our faith. We design our destiny. We calculate our decisions. We program our future. We are the engineer of our life.”
Thus, if I may say:
We are not a professional, but GOD IS (Isaiah 64:8). We do not draw our faith, but GOD DOES (Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:6). We do not design our destiny, but GOD DOES (Romans 8:28; Psalm 147:3-4). We do not calculate our decisions, but GOD DOES (Proverbs 19:21). We do not program our future, but GOD DOES (Jeremiah 29:11). We are not the engineer of our lives, but GOD IS (Psalm 100:3; Psalm 147:5).
Who are we to say that we are the master of our own life; the controllers of our own destiny. The life we have now is not even ours to keep. It is God who allows us to live every second of the day.
The Bible teaches that we are just but a speck of dust (Genesis 18:27). We are here today and gone tomorrow (James 4:14).
This world may try to convince us over and over again, but it would only be foolish if we allow ourselves to believe that we are professionals in all we do, that we draw our faith, that we design our destiny (I personally don’t believe in destiny, but in God’s will and grace), that we calculate our decisions (for life does not revolve according to our time frame but in God’s time), that we are the engineer of our lives. Contrary to God’s Word—we are not the master of our own ship—but GOD IS (Psalm 32:8; Psalm 48:14; Psalm 73:24; Psalm 119:105; Proverbs 1:33; Proverbs 2:6-9; Proverbs 3:5-6; Proverbs 16:9; Isaiah 30:21; Isaiah 48:17; Isaiah 58:11; Jeremiah 10:23; Jeremiah 33:33; Matthew 6:33; John 8:12; John 14:26; John 16:13; 1 Corinthians 10:13; Philippians 2:13; James 1:5); the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, who carefully designed the universe with His infinite wisdom; who formed us in our mother’s womb with His mighty hands. And, such a pursuit to succeed in every journey that we venture in, is only contingent upon the hands of the One who controls the ship.
There are lots of instances where we want to win. We want to be able to manage everything. We want to be able to control everything. We want to be able to figure everything out. We want to find the answers for all the “why’s”. We want to be able to put all the puzzle pieces together. But because God is God and we are not, there are ‘gazillions’ of puzzle pieces that you and I will never be able to put together in this side of heaven.“For this is our God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death.” (Psalm 48:14)
While God is Perfect, Holy, and all-knowing, but I am not. It would be one thing for me to say to you that I am not haughty. I am humble. My eyes are not lifted up. My eyes are not lofty. But you don’t know my heart. I could say to you that I am not proud, that I am trusting in God, that I am walking with Him, but you have no way of knowing. The One who knows my heart is the One to whom David addresses the psalm (scripture reference).
I am encouraged by these words by Nancy Leigh DeMoss as I was writing this journal. She said:
“I had no way of knowing that within days the winds were going to pick up, and we were going to soon be in a full-force gale. Isn’t that the way life often happens? We don’t know what’s ahead. We don’t know when the winds are going to pick up. We don’t know when the storms are going to come and catch you off guard. That’s why you have to live with a prepared heart and the confidence that God in you is the God of the storms. It is enough because He is enough. There is not a storm you can go through that ultimately the answer for you is not, “Trust in the Lord.” But if your heart is proud toward God or your eyes are lofty toward others, if you have an exalted, elevated opinion of yourself, then you are going to be devastated by the storms. You’re going to live in turmoil within. Most of the noise in our souls are generated by our attempts to control the uncontrollable. We try to manage something. We try to fix somebody. And we end up with this noise in our soul; not a quiet heart, but in turmoil.”
Friend, I am delighted to serve a God who He says He is. My soul is quieted. One characteristics of God that I love about—is though God is unpredictable but He is unchangeable (Malachi 3:6). It is with this very unique nature of God that makes Him God. The Lord affirms it in Isaiah 55:8:
““For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.””
When we think we have the power to draw, to design, to calculate, to program, to engineer our lives, we can be debilitated by that feeling of power. We take on the weight and responsibility when it is not ours to take. When we do this, we are consumed with ourselves, stuck in our own little world, sugar-coated with all kinds of wrong, distorted beliefs, that ultimately leads to no fear of God.
I know who I am compared to God. I am nothing compared to Him—God is God and I am not. I am His servant place on to where I am in my life today—to love and to serve Him and others as He loves me. To tell others of His Cross. Every journey He allows me to take, I know the Lord is with me. He is guiding me, chastening me, reviving me as He encourages and comforts me in my darkest hour. I do not have the power to change a person’s heart but as a witness for Him for His plan of salvation and spiritual growth I get to write what He compels in—and—through me. Ultimately, only God can transform any human soul. I am just His hands and feet. Any success or good I do is because the Lord is doing it through me. This truth grants me the grace to take a deep breath and rest in the Lord’s unfailing goodness.
When we are not left on our own to try to stir up the power and ability to face the weight of suffering and death in our lives, God provides us what we need. When we realize that we are doing things according to His will and for His glory and not for our own, we can breathe and allow Him to work through us. We are able to do things in partnership with Him. Life, in all pursuits—becomes an amazing journey where we are constantly stunned by the great goodness of God.
Are you seeking great things for yourself? Your heart will never be at peace as long as you are. Don’t seek them. Let God be God. Let God put you where He wants to use you and have you serving in a way that is pleasing to Him and doing what would be His will for your life.
While God is the ultimate professional, only He has the power to draw, to design, to calculate, to program, to engineer … OUR LIVES. God is God and we are not.
“Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts.” (Proverbs 21:2)
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LORD Jesus, You humbled my heart towards You. I know who I am compared to You—I am nothing compared to You. I don’t esteem myself more highly than I should. I don’t get elated by compliments or by the approval of others nor get depressed when I get overlooked or mistreated. My joy, my happiness, my well-being is not contingent upon others’ perception of me. I am not weighed down with selfish ambition or self-seeking or aspiring. Lord, You know all. You see all. You know the true condition of my heart, and I am addressing this prayer to You. I cannot fool You. I cannot pull the wool over Your eyes. My heart is broken for You, Lord, yet, You sustained me so I could carry on Your perfect plan for my life. Thank You, Lord Jesus. In Your name I pray, amen.
Song:
ALMIGHTY, UNCHANGEABLE GOD
Words and Music By: Cindy Berry
©1996 by GlorySound (a div. of Shawnee Press)
©1996 by GlorySound (a div. of Shawnee Press)
Who spread out the clouds before Him?
Who fashioned the earth with His hands?
Who created the starry host,
And formed the earth at His command?
Who scatters lightning before Him,
Commands the rain and snow to fall?
Who makes the nations tremble?
Who is Lord over all?
Who fashioned the earth with His hands?
Who created the starry host,
And formed the earth at His command?
Who scatters lightning before Him,
Commands the rain and snow to fall?
Who makes the nations tremble?
Who is Lord over all?
He is Almighty, Unchangeable God,
King of kings,
Lord of lords,
robed in majesty.
He rules and reigns,
For all eternity,
Almighty, Unchangeable God.
King of kings,
Lord of lords,
robed in majesty.
He rules and reigns,
For all eternity,
Almighty, Unchangeable God.
He is like the light at sunrise,
Like the brightness after the rain.
Robed in splendor,
He’s seated on His heavenly throne above.
His glory fills the heavens;
He is exalted over all.
Yet this God of Heaven loves me
With an everlasting love.
Like the brightness after the rain.
Robed in splendor,
He’s seated on His heavenly throne above.
His glory fills the heavens;
He is exalted over all.
Yet this God of Heaven loves me
With an everlasting love.
He is Almighty, Unchangeable God,
King of kings,
Lord of lords,
robed in majesty.
He rules and reigns,
For all eternity,
Almighty, Unchangeable God.
King of kings,
Lord of lords,
robed in majesty.
He rules and reigns,
For all eternity,
Almighty, Unchangeable God.
